System, method, and device for actuating a downhole tool

ABSTRACT

An actuating component for a downhole tool is provided that includes a main actuating bore and an actuating liner configured to be accommodated within the main actuating bore. The actuating component may further include a piston configured to sealingly and translatably fit within the actuating liner and be coupled to the downhole tool wherein movement of the piston relative to the actuating liner actuates the downhole tool. A method of actuating a downhole tool is also provide that may include installing an actuating liner within a main actuating bore and providing a piston configured to translatably and sealably be accommodated within the actuating liner. The method may further comprise coupling the piston to an operative component of the downhole tool and applying pressure to a surface of the piston, thereby moving the piston relative to the actuating liner.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to actuating components used for downhole well system tools, and more particularly to hydraulically actuated downhole tools and devices.

2. Description of the Related Art

The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Well systems generally comprise wellbores drilled into the surface of the earth at a terrestrial or subsea level in order to extract desirable fluids such as hydrocarbons. Completion equipment comprising downhole tools such as valves, screens, sensors, etc., are then run in-hole to control the rate of fluid production. The downhole tools are typically designed with regard to reliability while operating under long term exposure to hazardous and/or corrosive environments. Unfortunately, in order to manufacture a tool out of the high strength, corrosive resistant material required for a wellbore environment, the completed tool may become prohibitively expensive.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an actuating component for a downhole tool may comprise a main actuating bore and an actuating liner configured to be accommodated within the main actuating bore. In addition, the actuating component may further include a piston configured to sealingly and translatably fit within the actuating liner and coupled to the downhole tool, in which movement of the piston relative to the actuating liner actuates the downhole tool.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method of actuating a downhole tool may comprise installing an actuating liner within a main actuating bore and providing a piston configured to be translatably and sealably accommodated within the actuating liner. In addition, the method may further comprise coupling the piston to an operative component of the downhole tool and applying pressure to a surface of the piston, thereby moving the piston relative to the actuating liner. The movement of the piston relative to the actuating liner may actuate the downhole tool via corresponding movement of the operative component.

Other or alternative features will become apparent from the following description, from the drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain embodiments of the invention will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements. It should be understood, however, that the accompanying drawings illustrate only the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various technologies described herein. The drawings are as follows:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a well system, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a downhole tool actuator, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-section views of downhole tool actuators, in accordance with embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for implementing an actuating liner in a downhole tool actuator, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible. In the specification and appended claims: the terms “connect”, “connection”, “connected”, “in connection with”, “connecting”, “couple”, “coupled”, “coupled with”, and “coupling” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via another element”; and the term “set” is used to mean “one element” or “more than one element”. As used herein, the terms “up” and “down”, “upper” and “lower”, “upwardly” and downwardly”, “upstream” and “downstream”; “above” and “below”; and other like terms indicating relative positions above or below a given point or element are used in this description to more clearly describe some embodiments of the invention.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, an actuating component such as an actuating liner may be configured as a metallic sleeve that provides a corrosion resistant and preventative sealing surface and the required applicable internal diameter (ID) surface finish for dynamic fluid (e.g., such as hydraulic) sealing systems for use with a variety of downhole tools. One example is a rod piston bore that is typically integral within the body material of the downhole components. The utilization of a high nickel type of inserted sleeve, for example, would allow the material of the related housing to be of a reduced cost (such as 4140), which may be more corrosion tolerant than the dynamic sealing surface finish. Therefore, the combined assembly may be provided at a reduced overall cost as compared to manufacturing the entire component out of the higher grade of material.

Referring generally to FIG. 1, a well system 10 may be provided at the surface 15 of a site in order to access desirable fluids such as a hydrocarbon bearing formation 50. The well system 10 may comprise a well bore 20 drilled below the surface 15. Although the surface 15 is depicted as a terrestrial surface, the surface 15 may be a sea-bed surface. In addition, although the well system 10 is shown as a horizontal, single zone well, applications of embodiments of the present invention may be applied to vertical, deviated, and multi-zone wells, among others. In some cases, the well bore 20 may be at least partially lined with a liner or casing 25.

A completion system 30 may be installed within the well bore 20 in order to control the production of desirable fluids to the surface 15 of the well system 10. As an illustrative example, a completion system 30 may comprise tubulars and a variety of downhole components, such as downhole tools 35 and/or packers, such as the openhole packer 37 illustrated in the drawing. The openhole packer 37 may restrict or inhibit desirable fluid from flowing around the annulus of the tubular to the surface 15 of the well system 10.

The downhole tool 35 may be a valve (such as a formation isolation valve (FIV), inflow control device (ICD), or flow control valve (FCV), among others), sampling device, setting device (e.g., such as for packers), switch, sensor, motor, choke, nozzle control, or other operative components in single or multiple quantities as provided in a well system 10. As shown in this illustrative example, the downhole component 35 may be represented by an ICD configured to control the flow of desirable fluid into an interior bore of the completion 30. The ICD may be operated from the surface 15 via a hydraulic control line 70 provided with hydraulic pressure from a hydraulic pressure source 60. In some cases, the hydraulic pressure source 60 may be provided downhole and include an electric motor pumping fluid from a downhole reservoir in order to control the downhole tool 35. In these cases, the hydraulic control line 70 may be replaced by an electric line. In still other cases, the electric line may be replaced with some form of downhole power generation and/or storage, such as a turbine generator and/or batteries for example.

Turning now to FIG. 2, this drawing shows an illustrative embodiment of a downhole tool actuator 100 according to some aspects of the present invention. The downhole tool actuator 100 may comprise a main actuating bore 110 and an actuating bore liner 120 accommodated within the main actuating bore 110. The actuating bore liner 120 may be retained within the main actuating bore 110 via a variety of methods. For example, in some cases, the actuating bore liner 120 may be threadably coupled to the main actuating bore 110, either by an end cap 115 threadably secured to an end of the downhole tool actuator 100, by corresponding threads on the exterior of the actuating bore liner 120 and the interior of the main actuating bore 110 (not shown), or by the use of one or more set screws (not shown). In other situations, the actuating bore liner 120 may be retained within the main actuating bore 110 through welding, spin welding, press fit interference, frictional forces, chemical adhesive, or plastic deformation of material, among other methods not specifically identified.

A piston 130 may be translatably accommodated within the actuating bore liner 120. Additionally, the piston 130 may be sealably accommodated within the actuating bore liner 120 via one or more seals 133 provided around the circumference of the piston 130. Movement of the piston 130 may be either directly coupled to an operative component 140 (e.g., such as a sliding sleeve of a variable choke for an ICD controlling access to the interior bore 33 of the downhole tool 35, among others) of a downhole tool 35 or via one or more linking members 135. A hydraulic or fluid pressure source may provide a motive force to a surface of the piston 130 via a hydraulic control line 70, for example. Although only one hydraulic pressure source is shown in this figure, other embodiments may have two or more hydraulic lines or pressure sources configured to move the piston 130 is more than one direction relative to the actuating bore liner 120.

The main actuating bore 110 of the downhole tool actuator 100 may be made from a lower level of material (e.g., with regard to costs, corrosion resistance, surface finish, etc.) than the actuating bore liner 120. Use of a limited amount of a high quality material, such as Inconel 718 for the actuating bore liner 120, may provide the downhole tool actuator 100 with a relatively reliable level of surface finish for sealing with a corresponding piston 130. The sealing between the piston 130 and the ID of the actuating bore liner 120 may exist even while the exterior and general housing material of the main actuating bore 110 and downhole tool actuator 100 suffer from the corrosive effects of being exposed to a corrosive environment. The ability to use lower cost material such as 4130 and 4140 for the housing instead of a high nickel type of material may help to lower the overall costs of downhole tool actuator 100 as well as the corresponding downhole tool 35.

Referring generally to FIG. 3A, this drawing shows an exemplary embodiment in which the downhole tool actuator 200 is integral to the downhole tool 35. In this case, a main actuating bore 210 may be provided with an actuating bore liner 220 spin welded together to form a joint 205. The end of the main actuating bore 210 may be sealed with an end cap 215 threadably engaged with the main actuating bore 210. The end cap 215 may further provide a seal about a linking member coupled to the piston 230 sealably and translatably provided within the actuating bore liner 220. In some cases, the end cap 215 may contain an additional orifice to couple with a second source of hydraulic pressure that may provide a motive force to the piston 230 in another direction other than the initial source of hydraulic pressure. Of course, in other cases a resilient member such as a mechanical or gas spring may be used to provide an opposing force on the other side of the piston 230 opposite to the side interacting with the initial source of hydraulic pressure. The application of force and the movement of the piston 230 has been simplified for the purposes of explanation in this non-limiting description, other methods and more complex methods are considered within the scope of the appended claims.

Turning now to FIG. 3B, this figure illustrates another exemplary embodiment in which the downhole tool actuator 300 is integral to the downhole tool 35. However, in this case, the actuating bore liner 320 may be sealably coupled to the main actuating bore 310 via one or more seals 305. The use of the one or more seals 305 may inhibit or prevent fluid leakage between the actuating bore liner 320 and the main actuating bore 310. The actuating bore liner 320 may be retained within the main actuating bore 310 via previously described methods.

In the situation shown in FIG. 3B, the hydraulic pressure source may be provided by an electro-hydraulic pump 360 fluidly coupled to the downhole tool actuator 300. The electro-hydraulic pump 360 may be powered via an electric cable 370, stored energy source (e.g., such as batteries)(not shown), or some form of downhole power generation (e.g., such as turbine generators, piezo-electric generators, etc.)(not shown).

Referring generally to FIG. 4, this drawing illustrates a flow chart of a method of actuating a downhole tool 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method 400 may comprise installing an actuating liner within a main actuating bore 410 and providing a piston configured to be translatably and sealably accommodated within the actuating liner 420. The method 400 may further comprise coupling the piston to an operative component of the downhole tool 430 and applying pressure to a surface of the piston, thereby moving the piston relative to the actuating liner 440.

Elements of the embodiments have been introduced with either the articles “a” or “an.” The articles are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive such that there may be additional elements other than the elements listed. The term “or” when used with a list of at least two elements is intended to mean any element or combination of elements.

While the invention has been disclosed with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate numerous modifications and variations there from. It is intended that the appended claims cover such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. An actuating component for a downhole tool comprising: a main actuating bore, an actuating liner configured to be accommodated within the main actuating bore; a piston configured to sealingly and translatably fit within the actuating liner and coupled to the downhole tool; and wherein movement of the piston relative to the actuating liner actuates the downhole tool.
 2. The actuating component as recited in claim 1, in which the actuating liner is threadably coupled to the main actuating bore.
 3. The actuating component as recited in claim 1, in which the actuating liner is adhered to the main actuating bore.
 4. The actuating component as recited in claim 1, in which the actuating liner is press fit into the main actuating bore.
 5. The actuating component as recited in claim 1, in which the actuating liner comprises Inconel
 718. 6. The actuating component as recited in claim 1, in which the downhole tool is a valve.
 7. The actuating component as recited in claim 1, in which the main actuating bore comprises a first material; and the actuating liner comprises a second material not identical in composition to the first material.
 8. The actuating component as recited in claim 7, in which the second material comprises a higher cost per pound than the first material.
 9. The actuating component as recited in claim 7, in which the second material comprises a higher corrosion resistance than the first material.
 10. A system for actuating a downhole tool comprising: a source of hydraulic pressure; a main actuating bore; an actuating liner configured to be accommodated within the main actuating bore; a piston ultimately coupled to an operative component of a downhole tool and configured to sealingly and translatably fit within the actuating liner; and wherein the source of hydraulic pressure is applied to at least one surface of the piston resulting in translation of the piston relative to the actuating liner; and wherein the translation of the piston relative to the actuating liner corresponds to movement of the operative component of the downhole tool.
 11. The system recited in claim 10 wherein the main actuating bore comprises a first material; and the actuating liner comprises a second material.
 12. The system recited in claim 11 wherein the second material has a higher degree of corrosion resistance than the first material.
 13. The system recited in claim 10 wherein the source of hydraulic pressure is supplied via a hydraulic pump located downhole.
 14. The system recited in claim 10 wherein the actuating liner is threadably coupled to the main actuating bore.
 15. The system recited in claim 10 wherein the actuating liner is adhered to the main actuating bore.
 16. A method of actuating a downhole tool comprising: installing an actuating liner within a main actuating bore; providing a piston configured to translatably and sealably be accommodated within the actuating liner; coupling the piston to an operative component of the downhole tool; and applying pressure to a surface of the piston, thereby moving the piston relative to the actuating liner; wherein the movement of the piston relative to the actuating liner actuates the downhole tool via corresponding movement of the operative component.
 17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the main actuating bore comprises a first material; and the actuating liner comprises a second material.
 18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the second material comprises a higher degree of corrosion resistance than the first material.
 19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the second material comprises a greater cost per pound than the first material.
 20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the actuating liner is adhered to the main actuating bore. 